PRISTINA, Kosovo — An intense explosion occurred on Friday, damaging a water canal and causing a temporary disruption in water and power supplies across several cities in Kosovo. Prime Minister Albin Kurti has attributed the incident to groups that receive support from Serbia.
Kurti indicated that this explosion, which took place in Vrage, located approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of the capital, Pristina, affected the water supply for various communities and impacted key power facilities. This incident follows two other explosions in the preceding days targeting a police station and local government buildings in the northern area, predominantly inhabited by the ethnic Serb population.
The Prime Minister specifically pointed fingers at “official Belgrade” and organized criminal elements led by Milan Radoicic, who is allegedly backed by Serb institutions as well as Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vucic. Radoicic, a notable politician and affluent businessman with connections to Serbia’s ruling populist party, faces charges in Kosovo related to a previous deadly conflict that involved heavily armed Serbian gunmen and resulted in the death of a Kosovar police officer.
Despite the charges, only three individuals from the Serb community have been apprehended so far, while others, including Radoicic, remain at large with claims from Pristina suggesting that he is under the protection of the Serbian government.
In response, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Marko Djuric condemned the explosion but criticized Kurti’s government, describing it as an “ethnonationalist regime” that hastily accuses Belgrade without presenting evidence. Djuric stated, “Such premature accusations are a deliberate diversion,” adding that these unsubstantiated claims hinder meaningful dialogue and exacerbate existing tensions.
The European Union and the United States have both vocally condemned the violent act and called for the perpetrators to face justice. The U.S. Embassy in Pristina emphasized, “These violent actions are unacceptable in a democratic society, and those responsible for these criminal attacks against the legitimate authorities of the Republic of Kosovo should be held accountable.”
Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia remain high despite ongoing international efforts to promote normalization of relations. Kosovo, which was previously a Serbian province, declared independence in 2008, a move that Belgrade does not acknowledge. The conflict dates back to the 1999 NATO bombing campaign, which concluded a war that resulted in around 13,000 fatalities, predominantly among ethnic Albanians, and forced Serbian troops out of the territory.
Brussels and Washington have urged both nations to fulfill agreements made between Vucic and Kurti in recent months, including Kosovo’s commitment to form an Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities. Meanwhile, Serbia is expected to recognize Kosovo de-facto, even as it officially maintains that Kosovo is still part of its territory.
To bolster security, KFOR, the NATO-led international peacekeeping force, has intensified its presence in Kosovo following the escalating tensions from the previous year.